Typically a conventional fiber opto-electronic transceiver includes a receptacle, port, lens, and EMI shield components manufactured as separate components and later assembled together. Separate manufacture of each component raises the total cost of the final assembled interconnect. Moreover, as there are multiple components, each part adds to the cost associated with assembling the components together. Many assembled interconnects also need a high level of precision during the assembly. For example, the assembly of the port to the receptacle in an opto-electronic transceiver requires high precision alignment of these parts and must provide high tolerance for any external components to be connected. Additional costs are associated with such high precision alignment and assembly of the various components. If the alignment of components is not precisely controlled, such misalignment results in power or sensitivity loss in the assembled interconnect, or difficulty in connecting the assembled interconnect to a fiber optical cable connector or other component during use.
In addition to the costs associated with precise alignment during assembly, additional error may be introduced in such conventional designs due to electromagnetic interference (EMI). In such assembled interconnects, the unprotected area of a plastic port should be provided with a shielding mechanism to prevent transmission of stray electromagnetic energy. In addition, where the port is round, but the aperture of the receptacle is rectangular, there is a mechanical challenge to close the gaps between the port and the receptacle while maintaining proper alignment of the port and receptacle. Other features which have been used to provide EMI shielding include cushions, gaskets, and absorbers placed in a location to block the transmission of EMI through the port. These conventional EMI shielding components have not been entirely successful at preventing EMI leakage, however, and further add to the costs associated with alignment and assembly.
Finally, if a separate ball/aspherical lens cap is used in the interconnect, a lack of concentricity between the lens and an optical device of the optical subassembly, such as a laser or optical receiver, will cause light to be diverted at an angle. As a result, the light transferred through the lens will be likewise offset and may not sufficiently couple to the optical receiver, to an optical fiber, or to whatever component is being connected. Thus, the conventional assembly processes and components result in additional costs associated with the high precision assembly, problems associated with effective EMI shielding, and potentially compromised optical coupling performance.